Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Senator is aware, as matters currently stand, councillors can claim for the installation of a security scheme under the local representation measures that are available to them. In addition, they can get a percentage of monitoring costs thereafter. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission came forward with its own stand-alone scheme for which Deputies and Senators now qualify. That scheme is up and running. I committed at the time that we would consider putting in place a sister scheme for councillors. My officials have engaged intensively with their counterparts in the Oireachtas on the design of the Oireachtas scheme. We want to model it on that scheme. We want to finalise the precise detail of the proposal we will put forward to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. We are in the process of doing so and that will happen quickly. There will be always slight differentials between schemes but we are modelling it on the scheme for Oireachtas Members. I hope to have it in place reasonably quickly for councillors. There is a process to finalise it. Ultimately, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform will have to adjudicate on the proposal we put forward. It is a matter on which I feel strongly. Public representatives, whether a Deputy, Senator or councillor, all face the same public safety challenges. I know Senator Keogan's office was burned down in 2019. I have no doubt that was a harrowing experience for her and her staff. We want to put the scheme in place. It is not possible to get everything done overnight but I am conscious of the evolving situation on the ground in terms of what councillors do and more generally. We cannot have a situation where public representatives do not feel safe going about their work or in their homes. We are now designing a scheme for councillors. It will be similar to that in place for Oireachtas Members. I hope to have our submission to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform finalised quickly. We will get the scheme up and running as quickly as possible.